An unintentional mistake can keep you from a great job or internship opportunity. When searching for jobs or internships, be intentional with your approach and pay attention to the details in how you present yourself to potential employers. 

Here are a few tips to help you avoid some common pitfalls when seeking employment. 

Adapt your resume to match the job description 

Stand out from other applicants by tailoring your resume and cover letter for each opportunity, even if the jobs or internships seem similar. You don’t have to start from scratch each time, but you can make a few updates to add keywords and skills that match the job description. Your resume will get more traction with this personalized approach. 

Career Services offers workshops to help you build an effective resume.  

Proofread 

Little mistakes on your resume or cover letter can stand out in a big way. These oversights can influence the employer’s overall perception of you as a candidate. Double-check names, job titles and companies on your application materials to ensure they match the job you are applying for—especially when creating tailored documents for each application. 

Try proofreading your resume and cover letter starting at the end and moving backward to catch typos or errors. Ask a friend, family member or Career Services team member to proofread your materials. 

Update your online profiles 

Employers regularly search the internet to look for more information about candidates. They may review your job profiles, like Handshake and LinkedIn, but they may also see other social media accounts. If the social media content they find seems concerning, they may not move you to the next step. 

If an employer searches your name online, what will they find? Will the information and photos they see help or hurt you in the job search? As you review your online activities, think about your online presence from an employer’s perspective.  

• If there’s anything that could be perceived as negative or concerning, consider removing it.  
• Consider which social media accounts you want to be private and check to ensure those settings are up to date.  
• Be sure anything you put out is a good representation of who you are. This includes email names, social handles, websites, hashtags, photos, etc.  

Your online presence can also be an asset in your job or internship search. Update your profiles to ensure they accurately reflect you, your activities and your interests. For example, if you’re passionate about making a change in the world, show how you’re involved in your community with photos, blogs or shared articles. Be active in your field of interest on social media. Especially on , you can post industry-related news, questions, quotes or articles. Follow inspiring people and companies in your field, but avoid connecting with hiring managers unless invited or until that person has hired you.   

Don’t be afraid to go for it 

The only way to not be considered for an internship or job is never to apply. We can talk ourselves out of great opportunities if we don’t think we meet all the qualifications listed in the description. If you’re interested in a position and think you could do the job well, apply—even if you don’t meet every single item on the list. Most employers will interview candidates if they meet most of their criteria. 

For more tips on finding an internship or job, check out weekly programs and workshops from Career Services. These free workshops will share best practices for resumes, networking, making progress in your search and more. 

Off

Now is the time to begin looking for a job or summer internship. While industries may follow different hiring timelines, many companies are actively recruiting 91��Ƶ students for a variety of positions. Career Services offers resources to help you in your search. 

Use Handshake

Your 91��Ƶ Handshake account is ready for you! Career Services has customized tips and keyword searches for you to use to maximize your search. You can also use filters like job type and ‘remote opportunity’ and set up saved searches with criteria that match your interests. You’ll receive an email notification when employers post a new position that matches your search. 

Take time to complete your Handshake profile to showcase your skills and experiences. When you have a more profile you are more likely to get job recommendations that match your skills, experience and preferences, and employers will be able to contact you directly about available opportunities. You can also use Handshake’s AI tool, Coco, to ask questions like: Where are interesting places to work in the Denver area? What industries are currently in high demand for people with my skills? 

Plan to attend career fairs 

Find opportunities and connect with employers at career fairs this spring. Career fairs are free online and in-person events where you can network and meet with recruiters who are hiring. 

Review the schedule of upcoming career fairs and mark your calendar for the ones you’re interested in attending. Sign up to participate on Handshake and review the list of employers who will be attending.  

Students with complete Handshake profiles have a better chance of meeting one-on-one with employers at virtual fairs. Review these steps to complete your Handshake profile, and make sure it’s on the ‘public’ setting so employers can view it. 

Work on your application materials 

You want to act fast when you find an internship or job posting of interest to you. It can help to create a template resume and cover letter with your experience, skills and accomplishments. These core documents give you a starting point to tailor your experience and examples for each application. You can save time and focus more on adapting your documents rather than starting from scratch each time.  

Review tips from Career Services on how to perfect your resume and personalize your cover letter. These documents usually make the first impression with potential employers, so take the time to represent yourself well.  

Meet with others 

You may feel like you don’t have a professional network yet, but you may be surprised to know you already have one. Your network includes previous employers, supervisors, advisors, professors, family friends—anyone who has supported your career growth or has the potential to do so. Now is a great time to reconnect and see if they know of upcoming opportunities.  

You can also build professional relationships with others in your field of interest. Join the Forever Buffs Network to start connecting with 91��Ƶ alumni. They can help with resume feedback and interview preparation. And some may be open to informational interviews or mentoring. Your LinkedIn profile can help you build your network and find opportunities throughout your professional career.  

Start today 

Job and internship searching can feel intimidating, but if you spend 10 minutes four times a week on your search, those small bits of time will add up before you know it. Sometimes, we may talk ourselves out of applying if we don’t think we meet all the qualifications listed in the description. If you’re interested in a position and believe you can do it well, apply—even if you don’t meet every item on the list. Most employers will interview candidates if they meet most of their criteria. 

It can take some time to find an internship or job that’s right for you. Stay patient and persistent and know that Career Services is here to help you every step of the way. 

For more tips, check out weekly programs and workshops from Career Services. These free workshops will share best practices for finding internships, preparing for career fairs and more. 

Off

Your professional network can be instrumental when it comes to finding jobs and internships. People in your network can provide different levels of support while you’re searching, whether it’s sharing job postings, proofreading your resume or practicing for interviews. 

You may not realize it, but you probably have a network in place already. Between professors, supervisors, co-workers, coaches and family friends—anyone who can help with your career growth can be considered a part of your network. It’s important to maintain these connections and make new ones throughout your career journey. Here are a few tips to help you feel more comfortable when making connections. 

Meet new contacts

Between campus events and online networking platforms, there are many ways to make new connections. 

Employers visit campus throughout the year to meet with students at career fairs or other networking events. These events are a great time to network with recruiters. Attend the upcoming on Nov. 10 to meet with CU alumni, and stay tuned for more career events in the spring.

You can also meet others virtually on a variety of online platforms:

• : Connect with 91��Ƶ alumni and other students.
• : Attend virtual events and chat with potential employers, and use the community feature to meet other students and alumni. 
• : Make connections with professionals in your field of interest.

Start the conversation

Networking can sometimes feel uncomfortable or intimidating. But it can help to remember that it’s just a conversation. Networking is about staying curious and learning from others, and it doesn't have to be formal. People are often willing and excited to chat with you about your work. 

Whether you’re attending an in-person or virtual event, prepare a short introduction for yourself and think of a few questions to ask to get the conversation started. You could ask someone what they like most about their current job, what skills are most in demand in their field or how their degree helped prepare them for their career. Keep it casual and allow the conversation to flow naturally.  

If you’re looking to learn more about a specific company or industry, you could also ask to set up an informational interview. This practice can help answer questions you might have about what it takes to work in certain fields. It could also provide steps for how to get into a career. If you want to see how an informational interview works, attend one of the upcoming Buffs Interview Buffs events.

Stay in touch 

Do you have friends who have just graduated? People you’ve volunteered with? Former co-workers or members of your student organization? It’s important to not only stay in touch with new people you meet, but also anyone else that is currently in your network.

Add them on LinkedIn or the Forever Buffs Network to easily stay connected. Send a casual email every once in a while to check in and ask how they’re doing. Or schedule coffee dates or lunches to catch up and maintain the relationship. 

For more tips, check out weekly workshops with Career Services. occurs on Mondays and will help you learn how to network in a genuine way and take networking to the next level.

Off

Graduation may seem far away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about life after CU. It can often take 6-9 months to find a job, so this is a great time to start your search. 

Here are some tips to help you plan for life after college, find jobs and graduate with confidence.

Search strategically

Start exploring full-time positions that align with your interests. Find job postings on Handshake, and . Set up saved searches on these sites to learn about new postings that match your criteria. You can also check industry-specific sites like , and . 

Different industries often follow different hiring timelines. If you’re pursuing a career in consulting, accounting, finance and engineering, take note that they often recruit and hire in the fall, even if you’re graduating in May. Companies in marketing, operations, creative fields, government, education and nonprofits are more likely to hire as needed. If you are graduating in May, start applying for these industries in early spring. Connect with recruiters at career fairs and events to learn about hiring timelines. For more job searching tips, attend workshops and group advising sessions this semester.

Build skills

No matter what job you pursue, continuously hone your skills and build new ones. Technology continues to advance, and the world of work is changing. Some jobs are becoming automated and new jobs are created frequently.

To know which skills are most in demand for the positions or industries you’re interested in, request a skills report. This can help you build tailored skills and prepare for the demands of your specific field. There are also general skills that all employers value, regardless of industry. Review these foundational skills and find ways to build skills on campus.

Consider a part-time internship or other practical experience this semester. Professional experiences of any kind are a useful way to explore interests, build new skills and expand your network. All of which will help with securing full-time employment upon graduation. It’s also fairly common for a part-time job or internship to turn into full-time employment later on. 

Use your network

Spend time building professional relationships with others in your field of interest. These folks can help you learn about the field, introduce you to those who are hiring or keep you posted with new opportunities. 

Join the ForeverBuffs Network to start connecting with 91��Ƶ alumni. They can help with resume feedback and interview preparation. And some may be open to informational interviews or mentoring. You can also use to connect with others, learn about different industries, and join conversations related to your career interests.

This is also a great time to reconnect with those already in your network. This includes previous employers, supervisors, advisors, professors, family friends—anyone who has supported your career growth in the past and who might know of opportunities. Reach out and share that you are graduating soon and looking for employment in May.

For more opportunities to network this year, check out career fairs and events.

Update your application materials

Whether you’re updating your resume with new skills or working on your first resume, the free AI resume builer by Quinncia is a 91��Ƶ tool that can help. Use VMock to get personalized feedback on your resume and make improvements. 

Career development advisors are also here to provide feedback. Attend weekly programs and workshops on resumes and job searching to ask questions and get more tips. 

Once your resume is updated, upload it to your Handshake and LinkedIn profiles. Make sure your profile is on the public setting so recruiters and employers can view it. VMock’s Aspire tool can also evaluate your LinkedIn profile and offer tips to make it stronger.

Buff up your interview skills

As you search for jobs and share your resume, you’ll also want to prepare for interviews. Use Interview Prep to practice answering commonly asked questions. You can create custom interviews and request general questions or interview questions tied to specific roles or industries. This tool records your responses for you to view or share with someone else to view and provide feedback. Remember, practice makes perfect!

As you begin your search, career development advisors are here to help. Learn more about getting started with Career Services.

Off

If a recruiter wants to find a 91��Ƶ student, the first place they will look is Handshake. So, here’s how to brand yourself and control what information employers find on this job search platform.

Step 1: Create an account

The Handshake account that you create is a great way to enhance your personal brand. It tells the story of your academic journey and the type of professional you want to become. By having an active and public account on Handshake, you can be viewed by more than 14,000 employers around the world who are looking for 91��Ƶ talent.

Use your long email address (firstname.lastname@colorado.edu) to set up your account.

Step 2: Fill out your profile

If you have a resume, the first step is to upload your document. Handshake will automatically fill in your profile with details from your resume. You might want to clean it up and make sure your major, expected graduation date and GPA were added correctly. If you don’t have a resume, you’ll need to fill these details in manually.

Add a professional photo or headshot so an employer can put a face to the name. Your photo helps to personalize and humanize the brand you’ve created for yourself. It’s easy for them to make a connection with your profile when they can “see” who’s behind it.

Step 3: Add work experience, university clubs and course work

Employers often find students by searching for specific companies they’ve worked for. List out your work experience in reverse chronological order, showing your most recent work experience first. You’ll want to list on-campus jobs and volunteer experiences here as well.

Be sure to list any student clubs or organizations you are involved with. This not only shows involvement on campus and leadership skills but can also give employers a look into your unique interests outside of the classroom.

Step 4: List your skills

This might be the most important step. Skills are the primary field that employers use to search for job or internship candidates. By listing your skills, you are showcasing character traits and unique abilities that make you employable. You can list soft skills such as communication and teamwork or technical skills such as data analytics or project management.

Step 5: Make your profile public

It might go without saying, but if you want employers to find you, you need to be findable. This means you need to make your profile public. You are five times more likely to be found and messaged by employers if you do this step.

Off

While searching for jobs or internships can feel challenging, there are strategies to make it easier. Here are some tips to help you in your search.

Search more efficiently

Setting up saved searches on employment platforms can be a huge help with finding opportunities. For example, if you set up a saved search in Handshake, you’ll get emails when a new posting is added that meets your search criteria. This way, you won’t have to check Handshake daily or re-enter your search parameters each time. Many employment pages and offer similar search capabilities.

If you don’t have a Handshake account set up yet, review these tips to help you complete your profile.

Get organized

When you find a job posting that interests you, you’ll want to act quickly. Create a template resume with all of your experience, skills and accomplishments. This core document can be your starting point as you tailor your experience and examples for each application. This allows you to focus on adapting your resume and cover letter rather than starting from scratch each time. Learn more about writing resumes.

Once you submit your job application, start preparing for interviews. Begin with reviewing commonly asked questions and writing out your answers. Next, practice answering questions out loud. Work with a friend, family member or career development advisor who will provide helpful feedback. Knowing how to confidently talk about yourself and your experiences can set you apart from other candidates.

Like your resume, your LinkedIn profile will need to tell your professional story. 84% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates, and you’ll want to make sure your profile is complete and accurate. Think about each component of your profile and highlight your strengths. Check out these tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile.

Connect with others

Even if it feels like you don’t have a professional network yet, you’re a part of the Buff community. Whether you want to work at a specific company or in a certain field, the network of CU alumni can help. to start making connections.

Your family, friends, professors and supervisors can also be great resources. Reach out to let them know what you are looking for and how they may be helpful. They may be available for proofreading, or could connect you to a hiring manager with a great opportunity. It never hurts to ask!

You can also find career events, workshops, panels, fairs and other opportunities to connect with others on Handshake. Many of these events are being held virtually and from companies around the globe.

As always, career development advisors are here to help you in your search. Learn more about getting started with Career Services.

Off